Yellowstone Bears in May, A Photo Gallery by Dave Shumway

A grizzly bear enjoys a vole she caught while her cub sits on her back near Fishing Bridge in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 7D with 500/4.0L IS in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 1 2/3 at ISO400, f/5.0, and 1/160th of a second. The camera was mounted on a Gitzo 3540XLS and Induro GHB2 gimbal head with custom long lens support.

A sow and cub grizzly bear hunt for voles near Fishing Bridge in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 7D with 500/4.0L IS in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 1 2/3 at ISO100, f/11, and 1/20th of a second. The camera was resting on a beanbag.

A pair of grizzly bears whisper sweet nothings near Steamboat Point in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 7D with 500/4.0L IS in manual mode at ISO400, f/8.0, and 1/500th of a second. The camera was mounted on a Gitzo 3540XLS and Induro GHB2 gimbal head with custom long lens support.

A grizzly bear (called "White Claws") walks around Steamboat Point's thermal features in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 7D with 500/4.0L IS + 1.4TC III in manual mode at ISO200, f/6.3, and 1/400th of a second. The camera was mounted on a Gitzo 3540XLS and Induro GHB2 gimbal head with custom long lens support.

Two black bears cubs of the year play high in a tree after an eventful day in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 7D and 500/4.0L IS + 1.4TC III in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 2/3 at ISO400, f/6.3, and 1/80th of a second. The camera was mounted on a Gitzo 3540XLS and Induro GHB2 gimbal head with a custom long lens support.

A black bear sow with two cubs looks out over a scree field near Tower Fall in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 5D III and 500/4.0L IS in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 1 at ISO800, f/4.0, and 1/400th of a second. The camera was mounted on an Induro CT214 and Acratech GP1 ball head.

A black bear cub watches as the last rays of sunlight move over its tree near Tower Fall in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 5D III and 500/4.0L IS + 1.4TC III in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 1/3 at ISO800, f/7.1, and 1/125th of a second. The camera was mounted on an Induro CT214 and Acratech GP1 ball head.

A black bear sow with two cubs of the year drinks from a lake near Tower Fall in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 5D III and 500/4.0L IS in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 1/3 at ISO400, f/7.1, and 1/400th of a second. The camera was mounted on a Gitzo 3540XLS and Induro GHB2 gimbal head.

A black bear cub stops its descent to take a look out at the world near Tower Fall in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 7D and 500/4.0L IS in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of - 1/3 at ISO400, f/7.1, and 1/250th of a second. The camera was mounted on a Gitzo 3540XLS and Induro GHB2 gimbal head.

Two black bears fight in a meadow near Floating Island Lake in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 5D III and 500/4.0L IS + 1.4TC III in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 1 at ISO400, f/9.0, and 1/320th of a second. The camera was mounted on a Gitzo 3540XLS and Induro GHB2 gimbal head with a custom long lens support.

A grizzly bear looks around as a mixture of rain, sleet and snow fall near Roaring Mountain in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 5D III and 500/4.0L IS in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 1/3 at ISO800, f/4.0, and 1/200th of a second. The camera was mounted on a Gitzo 3540XLS and Induro GHB2 gimbal head with custom long lens support.

A grizzly bear walks in a May snowstorm near Roaring Mountain in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 5D III and 500/4.0L IS in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 1/3 at ISO800, f/4.0, and 1/400th of a second. The camera was mounted on a Gitzo 3540XLS and Induro GHB2 gimbal head with custom long lens support.

Dave M. Shumway is a professional photographer, director of communications for Volunteers of America and adjunct professor of photography at Rocky Mountain College. Currently based in Montana, Dave has two passions, one for the outdoors and one for photography. To this end, he averages 150 days/year in wild and fragile places the world over. Working as a photographer, Dave’s assignments include everything from wildlife and landscape photography to journalism and commercial work. His extensive time in the field shows through in online galleries, which are loaded with images of the fragile places to which he travels.